43 percent of Indian women don't have access to sanitary pads: Survey

Posted February 12th, 2018, 11:20 AM IST

New Delhi: It has been revealed that about 43% of Indian women do not have access to sanitary essentials at the beginning of periods, while 36 percent felt uncomfortable in buying them with other customers around.

According to a survey conducted by World Health Organisation (WHO) as many as 67 percent women have had to borrow a sanitary essential from a friend, colleague or family member.

Hariom Tyagi, CEO of Wet-Dry Personal Care, which owns Everteen, a brand of premium feminine intimate hygiene products said, "The grim reality today is that one in three women hesitates in buying sanitary essentials at a store in the presence of other customers".

The WHO survey was conducted in October 2017 and included women respondents from more than 35 cities all over India including Bengaluru, Chennai, Cuttack, Delhi, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Ranchi, Srinagar, Surat, and Thiruvananthapuram.

Out of all the participants of the survey, as many as 45 percent said that they have had to borrow the sanitary napkins at least once or twice a year.

More than 45 percent women felt that menstruation was still considered a taboo in the Indian society and 36 percent felt uncomfortable while buying sanitary essentials from a chemist shop in the presence of other customers.

According to a National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16, about 57.6 percent of the Indian women use sanitary napkins and 62 percent women in the age group 15-24 years still rely on a cloth during periods.

To beat the odds, Everteen brand has launched a period box which is unique, customizable, subscription-based doorstep delivery service for a complete range of monthly sanitary essentials in the Indian market.

Women can customise their Everteen Period Box on the brand's official website and choose sanitary products that they want, from a wide assortment of premium and essential sanitary napkins, tampons, pantyliners, feminine hygiene wash, feminine hygiene wipes, bikini hair removal cream, and menstrual cups.

The box subscription will let women save money as compared to the separate cost of each individual product.